With the abundance of recent press coverage, it’s more than likely you’ve heard about the opioid epidemic affecting millions every day. You may even know someone who struggles with addiction. But exactly how severe is it in our community? And what are city and state lawmakers doing to combat the issue?
The Community Foundation and the Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse are bringing all of your questions to the table in a panel titled “Let’s Talk About the Opioid Crisis.” The panel features four local experts who are fighting the issue in our area: Dr. Robert H. Jackson, professor of medicine at LSU Health and founder of MLK Health Center and Pharmacy; Dr. Nicholas E. Goeders, professor and head of the Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology, & Neuroscience at LSU Health Science Center; Peter Bunce, founder of nationally recognized prevention program One Great River; and Bill Rose, licensed addiction counselor and executive director of the Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (CADA).
The panelists will challenge attendees and the public to ask difficult questions about how the opioid crisis is directly affecting our community and what steps must be taken to solve the problem. Open discussion like this is necessary to face this growing problem in Louisiana and across the country. The opioid crisis affects people across all demographics and awareness is the first step to alleviating some of these issues.
Join the conversation at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7, at Robinson Film Center. Space is limited; please call The Community Foundation at (318) 221-0582 to reserve your seat. Those who cannot attend are encouraged to tune in to the live stream on The Foundation’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/TheCommunityFoundation, where questions also will be taken.
For more information about The Community Foundation, visit cfnla.org. More information on Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse can be found at cadanwla.org.
